CAT KIND. 421 



animal which has been already described under 

 the name of the Chevrotain, or Guinea-deer. The 

 tiger of the largest sort is above three feet and a 

 half high ; but, although endowed with greater 

 powers, is by no means so rapacious as either of 

 the former. This formidable animal, which is 

 called the Royal Tiger, (one of which we have at 

 present in the Tower), does not seem so ravenous 

 nor so dangerous, and is even more cowardly. A 

 peasant in that country, as this traveller informs 

 us, had a buffalo fallen into a quagmire, and while 

 he went for assistance, there came a large tiger, 

 that with its single strength drew forth the ani- 

 mal, which the united force of many men could 

 not effect. When the people returned to the 

 place, the first object they beheld was the tiger, 

 who had thrown the buffalo over its shoulder, as 

 a fox does a goose, and was carrying it away, with 

 the feet upward, towards its den: however, as 

 soon as it saw the men, it let fall its prey, and in- 

 stantly fled to the woods ; but it had previously 

 killed the buffalo, and sucked its blood ; and, no 

 doubt, the people were very well satisfied with its 

 retreat. It may be observed, that some East In- 

 dian buffaloes weigh above a thousand pounds, 

 which is twice as heavy as the ordinary run of our 

 black cattle ; so that from hence we may form a 

 conception of the enormous strength of this ra- 

 pacious animal, that could thus run off with a 

 weight at least twice as great as that of itself. 



" Were this animal as common as the panther, 

 or even as the lion himself, thus furnished as it is 

 with the power to destroy, and the appetite for 



